But why? Why did it bother me? Sure, I always outline. (okay, generally not blog posts and, yes, I recognize the irony). My approach in writing is always I want to know exactly where I’m going, and I want to be wrong.

In other words, respect the arc and ending, but hope to have moments of inspiration that surprise and grow the narrative.

Continuing from Part 3, the conclusion (finally) of… Max and the Lost Shakespeare Thank-You Note, Part 4: All Thanks Being Equal… The yellowed piece of paper in Maxine’s hand read: Thanks for hiring me to write the bible! I didst the very best I was able. Now everyone can be churchin’, From viscount to urchin. (To ‘Wm. […]

Continuing from Part 2… Max and the Lost Shakespeare Thank-You Note, Part 3: A Spot of Tea (And That Stands For Trouble) Bonkers was so excited he just kept galloping up and down the length of the passenger area, his ears flopping wildly.  “Private plane, private plane, private plane!  Private plane, private plane, private plane!  […]

Continuing from Part 1: A Turn of the Table… Max and the Lost Shakespeare Thank-You Note, Part 2: Into The Belly of the Bear “So then he the truck takes our garbage – just takes it – and drives away!  I’m like, ‘That’s right, garbage truck – you better run!’ Scared the crap out of […]

Max and the Lost Shakespeare Thank-You Note, Part 1: The Turn of the Table In the basement-level shop she worked from, Maxine Cho looked in to her crystal ball, stepping lightly on the lighting pedal to give it that “other-worldly” internal glow.  “I sense,” she said in an exaggerated, generic – and completely fake – […]

Max, Bonkers the beagle, and Reginald the melodramatic ghost return! If the above declaration and artist’s rendering doesn’t stir anything in you, then you likely missed out on last summer’s Choose Your Own Adventure story.  Or you didn’t like it.  Then I don’t know what to tell you.  Why didn’t you like it?  I worked […]

And now, continuing from part 4, the conclusion of… Max and the Argentinian Death Penguin Part 5: Death Holds A Staring Contest Ditching the Death Blood Cult priest had been easy – what with him having no eyes and all – but the fact that he knew they were coming meant they had no time […]

Continued from Part 3… Max and the Argentinian Death Penguin, Part 4: Hidden Where None Dare Venture Maxine frantically searched through the bottles and glasses behind the bar, crouched down out of the line of fire.  On the other side of the bar, an enormous brawl had broken out between Dragon and his henchmen, the […]